Function of the  ICT Authority (ICTA) as the CCA of Mauritius 

Under section 18 (z) of the Information and Communication   Technologies Act 2001, the ICT Authority is the Controller of Certification   Authorities in Mauritius. The Controller of Certification Authorities as the “Root”   Authority certifies the technologies, infrastructure and practices of all the   Certification Authorities (CA) licensed/recognised/approved to issue Digital   Signature Certificates.          

It is ICT Authority’s responsibility to monitor that   certification-service-providers comply with the obligations imposed on them by law. In this respect, the Controller of CAs will maintain a publicly   accessible database containing a CA disclosure record for each   licensed/recognised/approved CA.             

In order to enforce this role, the Mauritian PKI needs to be   deployed with the CCA acting as the linchpin of this PKI. The Electronic   Transaction Act 2000 (ETA), as amended, and its regulations, address the legal issues necessary for   the proper deployment of PKI in Mauritius. This legal framework, in turn, sets   the stage for a secure and pro-business environment for electronic commerce in   Mauritius.                 

The ETA clarifies the rights and obligations of transacting   parties by setting out provisions dealing with issues related to the formation   of electronic contracts. It also gives legal recognition on the use of   electronic records and signatures and their secure counterparts. The main   features of the ETA are as follows:                 

• facilitate electronic communications by means of reliable electronic   records;                                     
• facilitate e-commerce and to promote the development of the legal and   business infrastructure necessary to implement secure electronic commerce;                                     
• facilitate electronic filing of documents with government agencies and   statutory corporations, and to promote efficient delivery of government services   by means of reliable electronic records;                                     
• minimise the incidence of forged electronic records, intentional and   unintentional alteration of records, and fraud in electronic commerce and other   electronic transactions;                                     
• help to establish uniformity of rules, regulations and standards regarding   the authentication and other electronic transactions; and                             
• promote public confidence in the integrity and reliability of electronic   records and e-commerce, and to foster the development of e-commerce through the   use of electronic signatures to provide authenticity and integrity to   correspondence in any electronic medium.